Hands-On Water Institutes Connect Teachers to California Water Issues
Delta region educators launch canoes and paddle the Cosumnes River in Sacramento County, California, during a workshop of the California Water Institute for Teachers at the Cosumnes River Preserve Visitor Center in Galt, California on June 12, 2023.
Each summer, dozens of dedicated teachers take time from their summer break and gather in Butte, Solano, and Sacramento counties to participate in Water Institutes for Educators. Over the course of three days, they explore their local watersheds and learn from scientists, water resource experts, and each other. Through these hands-on water institutes, teachers discover new ways to bring water topics into their classrooms.
Water resource management in California is complex and crosses many different disciplines. DWR seeks to equip educators with accurate knowledge, practical tools, and real-world experiences to share with their students. This essential work helps develop the next generation of Californians who will steward one of our most essential resources.
The annual Water Institutes connect teachers, and by extension their students, to their local watershed. Each institute explores local water issues and how they impact the people, animals and land in their community. Participants also learn about the vital connections between their communities and water management in California, including operation of the State Water Project.
The institutes offer a mix of hands-on activities, outdoor exploration, and classroom lectures led by scientists, water managers, curriculum specialists, and more. Presenters share insights on water management, scientific research, and innovative conservation projects while highlighting the diverse careers in water resources. Teachers can then bring this knowledge back to their students, who may not yet be aware of the numerous promising career opportunities in the water sector.
A highlight of the institutes is the use of hands-on activities from the award-winning Project WET (Water Education Today) curriculum. Project WET offers activities for all grade levels on a wide range of water topics, integrating science, language arts, math, social studies and more.
Through these institutes, educators gain a deeper understanding of California water and access to curriculum to bring these lessons to their students. “Teachers walk away from these workshops feeling excited and confident to share what they learned about local, regional, and statewide water resources with their students,” said Karen Swan, water education specialist with DWR. “Thanks to their dedication, thousands more of California’s students each year will gain a deeper understanding of water resources, a topic that is essential for our future,”
The Water Institutes succeed thanks to partnerships between DWR, the Water Education Foundation and local education and conservation organizations. In 2026, these institutes will be offered again in Solano, Butte, and Sacramento counties, hosted respectively by the Solano Resource Conservation District, the Feather River Center, and Cosumnes River Preserve. Information and registration can be found on the Water Education Foundation’s Project WET website.
To see the institutes in action, check out DWR’s new video featuring teachers exploring their local watersheds and bringing water education to life.